Andrea mitchell picks up our special coverage of the war in israel right now. And right now on this Special Edition of Andrea Mitchell reports, israel orders a full siege of the gaza strip pounding hamas with new missile strikes after saturdays shocking Surprise Attack by air, sea, and ground, described as the first fullscale invasion from Hamas Into Southern Israel in history. More than 1,000 people are dead on both sides including at least nine americans. Hamas is also claiming to have more than 100 military and civilian hostages including men, women, and children, and some americans who could be used as Human Shields and bargaining chips. Yuni asher is among those pleading for the return of his wife and daughters after they were taken by hamas. My wife, my daughter raz less than 5 years old, and my little baby girl, less than 3 years old, theyre just little babies. Theyre not even girls. I dont even know if they ate enough, if theyre cold or hot, if theyre hurt. Ill be speaking to m
Continuing breaking News Coverage. Im Ayman Mohyeldin in new york. It is five a. M. And gaza city. Fighting between israel and hamas now enters a third day. Just the last few, hours nbc news has learned that several u. S. Citizens are among those dead and israel. Thats according to a National Security Council Spokesperson. The has said its monitoring the situation closely and the State Department is ready to provide assistance to any u. S. Citizens ill in the country. Ght, now 700 israelis are dead, 2300 injured. According to israeli officials. The Palestinian Health Ministry Says their death toll stands at more than 400 with at least 2300 injured. Israel has confirmed that forces have taken both military and non military israeli captives. Israeli media says that number is actually at 100. It includes, women, children and the elderly. Earlier today, Family Members of some of those taken by hamas held a press conference. They shared their stories and pleaded for help. Here is one woman
Israeli according to the israeli military. Hamas took to the air, and infiltrated the Country Southern Border by both land and sea. These really military says that unknown number of civilians and soldiers have been taken hostage by the group. It is an assault the likes of which the country has not seen in decades. Following saturday mornings attack, Prime Minister management at a guy, vowed, quote, mighty vengeance, instead the country was now in a state of war. Israel has already responded by launching airstrikes of their own, including one that flattened a Multi Story Residential Building in the heart of gaza city. The strikes continue well into the night, with flashes lighting up the skies, explosions can be heard and seen across the city. Israeli officials say, at least 200 of their citizens have now been killed, with 900 injured in gaza. At least 230 people or did, and another 1600 are injured. That is according to. Just a few hours ago, President Biden delivered his first public
I welcome you both. Ali, to you first. U. S. Officials, confirming americans are among the dead. But, what do we know of any specifics, around those statistics, this hour . Yeah alex, this is something that we heard, first mention by Secretary Of State Antony Blinken this morning, when he said that u. S. Officials were working overtime, to confirm reports that americans were among those killed. Since these attacks began yesterday, as well as reports that americans, were among those taken hostage, into gaza, by hamas militants. And tonight, we have a new quote from a National Security council spokesperson. Confirming that the deaths of several u. S. Citizens since this attack began, but also on these reports of americans being taken hostage. They would only confirm that there are americans, quote, Unaccounted For. They say in a statement, quote, we are aware of reports of unaccounted american u. S. Citizens, and we are working to confirm, we are closely monitoring information of hostage
Ties with israel. And in fact, israel has stayed largely neutral, in the war in ukraine or, in what is perceived to be partially because it is trying to maintain its relationship with moscow. And, so russia clearly has some allegiances, on various sides of this conflict, and it remains to be seen how, and whether it is going to try to insert itself, diplomatically, to play either a productive, or a counterproductive, role in bringing an end to this. Violence yet, not to mention it still has relationships with iran, and that also complicates everything even more. Iran, be accused of being the backer of hamas, and being a proxy to both hezbollah and hamas, and other militant groups in the region. And, obviously because of what is happening in ukraine, israel, sorry what has happened between russia, it has relied heavily on iran for some support, on that front with ukraine. Dan, do we have a sense of what intelligence capabilities the United States is prepared to share with israel, Going